Edinburgh International Festival Archives

Figures in Extinction – Festival Theatre

23Aug

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Figures in Extinction – Festival Theatre

The Edinburgh International Festival continues to prove how committed it is to bringing the finest examples of the arts to the city every year, and this time it could not have been otherwise. Figures in Extinction is one of the most elevated ballets I have ever seen, both in terms of technique, concept and production design. Crystal Pite proves herself to be one of the finest choreographers currently working in Europe. What sets her apart is her willingness to look directly at the world around her and to translate difficult, often painful subjects into movement that feels alive, urgent and deeply human. In Figures in Extinction, a trilogy created with Simon McBurney of Complicité and performed by the extraordinary dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater, she turns her attention to the climate c...

23Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

Bernstein and Stravinsky – Usher Hall

The Edinburgh International Festival welcomed the return of conductor Karina Canellakis, who lit up Usher Hall with her energetic presence on the podium. Following her stunning debut at the closing concert of the 2023 Festival, her comeback was highly anticipated – and she more than lived up to expectations. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Edinburgh Festival Chorus director James Grossmith created an evening of music that was both dazzling and deeply emotional. The 95-minute piece, performed with one interval, started with the vulnerability of the violin voice, expanding incrementally out to the full forces of the orchestra before the chorus entered. The uncomplicated layering of massed choral voices over instruments gave an intimacy merged with something divine. The performance con...

19Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

The Unseen Truth: Sarah Lewis – The Hub

Sarah Lewis takes to The Hub stage at this year's Edinburgh International Festival, analysing the power of culture as a means of justice rather than by law in her talk The Unseen Truth. Lewis is an art historian and Associate Professor of the Humanities and African American studies at Harvard University, leading the popular course, Vision and Justice: The Art of Race and American Citizenship. Discussing ideas from her book of the same title (The Unseen Truth: When Race Changed Sight in America) Lewis delves into the historical misrepresentation of people of colour in America and focuses on those who combated this misrepresentation, most notably the work of abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) and photographer Dorothea Lange (1895-1965). Lewis explores Dougla...

Cutting The Tightrope – Church Hill Theatre

16Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Cutting The Tightrope – Church Hill Theatre

This is a compelling, provocative and passionate piece of theatre about artistic freedom, censorship and political activism. You may love it, you may hate it, but you certainly won’t be bored. Originally produced last year at London’s Arcola Theatre, this collection of short plays was written in response to a statement from Arts Council, England, in 2024, warning that artists making political statements either in their work or even on social media could be in breach of their funding agreements. Later it was revealed that the statement followed discussions with the British Government about artists speaking out about the Israel-Gaza war. We know the names of the twelve playwrights but we don’t know who wrote each play. Although all the plays are making serious points, some of them are ...

11Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

Dance People – Old College Quad

A Call to Connection at the Edinburgh International Festival In the open quadrangle of Old College Quad, Dance People is performed in an unexpected performance space. A simple red ribbon separates performers and watchers, with no seating—merely open air and stone environment. Physical openness is a prelude to the questions of the evening about connection, community, and shared humanity. The play begins with an evocative stage with projected messages: "Who are you? ", "Are we alone? ", "We have so many people with us… people we've seen on the bus, who walk alongside us, but whom we've never noticed." At one point, the audience is invited to turn around and actually notice the people around them—a simple yet powerful gesture. The barrier is then literally broken with the ribbon ...

10Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Bach and Bartok – Usher Hall

The Edinburgh International Festival treats me to a musical triptych tonight at the Usher Hall, a concert in three sharply contrasting acts, delivered with precision and flair by the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer. Fischer, now in his mid-70’s and one of Europe’s most admired conductors, has the air of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing and, perhaps, is savouring these final years at the helm. Co-founder of the orchestra back in 1983 with Zoltán Kocsis, he’s built a reputation not only for musical excellence but also for a willingness to experiment, from autism-friendly “Cocoa Concerts” to informal beanbag performances. There’s an ease and playfulness in his direction, the sort of confidence that comes from a career well cemented in the history books, but still curious...

2Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Make It Happen – Festival Theatre

It was a privilege to be in the packed audience at the Festival Theatre for this stunning production of James Graham’s exquisite new play. The 2025 Edinburgh International Festival could not have got off to a better start. This is a co-production by the EIF, the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre, brilliantly directed by Andrew Panton. ‘Make It Happen’ was the mantra of the infamous CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Fred Goodwin, who expanded the 300 year old Edinburgh institution at a colossal pace to make it the world’s biggest bank. But in 2008, as global markets tumbled, the RBS faced collapse. Coincidentally both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor in 2008 were Scottish. And the play also reminds us that it was a Scotsman who in effect sparked the growth o...

17Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Hamlet – Royal Lyceum Theatre

An international festival ought to end in carnival fashion, and this blended version of Hamlet did just that. It was an explosion of success, rejoicing, a knees-up and warm audience participation. Teatro La Plaza from Lima, Peru, has created a feast of a show using back projection (Lucho Soldevilla), music, thoughtful lighting (Jesūs Reyes), a simple set and a fabulous cast of Downs Syndrome adults. This adaptation of Hamlet is both funny in itself and wonderful as a piece of art for showcasing the unquestionable talents of a marginalised sector of society. Written and directed by Chela De Farrari, a founder of the company, the intention is to entertain as you ask questions which help us better understand the contemporary world and, in this instance, the world of the Downs person in...

16Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

The Outrun – Church Hill Theatre

Amy Liptrot's 2015 memoir of a generation lost to trivia and over-consumption certainly struck a chord. A film of the book is released this year plus this co-production between Edinburgh International Festival and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. The Outrun is beautifully staged. Milla Clarke works some artistic magic, along with a collection of talented creatives from Lewis den Hertog on video (superb), Lizzie Powell on lighting, Michael Henry and Kev Murray on music and sound. The piece is cleanly directed by Vicky Featherstone. Vicki Manderson’s chorus opening as waves is very atmospheric and intriguing. Set partially in Orkney, waves are relevant. Additionally, a wave can knock us off our feet and fighting a wave can prove fruitless. Metaphorically, the waves work for this pie...

Edinburgh International Festival Opening Concert – Usher Hall, Edinburgh

5Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Edinburgh International Festival Opening Concert – Usher Hall, Edinburgh

The opening of the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival by Nicola Benedetti marks the beginning of an exhilarating 24 day, 160 event celebration of opera, dance, music and theatre in the Scottish Capital. Following last years’ tentative, ‘Where do we go from here?’, we start this year with the more upbeat, ‘Rituals that unite us. And the opening concert tonight could hardly be a better example of the statement. Spaniard, Osvaldo Gilijov’s extraordinary reinterpretation of Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion was commissioned in 2000 to mark the composer’s 250th anniversary. Now, almost a quarter of a Century old and having been performed around the globe, it (finally!) has its first Scottish outing. But this is no Solemn biblical narrative, no, this is a shock of rhythm and colour, in mult...